Lightning shortens LSU spring game

Lanard Fournette scored the only touchdown as the Purple team defeated the White team 7-3 in LSU’s weather-shortened spring football game in Tiger Stadium on Saturday night. The game was called with 2:54 remaining in the first half.

HOW THEY SCORED

FIRST QUARTER

White 3, Purple 0

Score: Connor Culp 21-yard field goal. Time Remaining: 4:43. Drive: 66 yards in 14 plays. Time of Possession: 7:17. Key Play: On third-and-four, Danny Etling completed a 35-yard pass to DJ Chark for a first down at the Purple’s 29.

SECOND QUARTER

Purple 7, White 3

Score: Fournette 1-yard run. Cameron Gamble kick. Time Remaining: 10:40. Drive: 56 yards in 7 plays. Time of Possession: 1:51. Key Play: On second-and-six, Fournette ran six yards for a first down. In addition, Layton Garrett was penalized 14 yards for grabbing the face mask to give the Purple a first down at the White’s 13.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

It was not a night for the offense. Fournette was the leading rusher with 28 yards on eight carries. Fournette carried the ball every play on the lone touchdown drive of the spring game.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME

Devin White, who has moved into the starting lineup at inside linebacker, was credited with four tackles – two unassisted. White also registered 1½ tackles-for-loss. On the first play of the spring game, White tackled Chark for a four-yard loss on a jet sweep. He combined with Donte Jackson to drop Chark for another three-yard loss in the second quarter.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL LEADERS

Lanard Fournette: 8 carries, 28 yards, 1 touchdown

Danny Etling: 11 attempts, 4 completions, 53 yards, 1 interception

DJ Chark: 2 catches, 45 yards

Jonathan Rucker: 5 tackles, 1 sack

Devin White: 4 tackles, 1½ tackles-for-loss

Edwin Alexander: 2 tackles-for-loss, 1 sack

NOTES

There were 11 scholarship players did not participate in the spring game – wide receiver Dee Anderson, tight end Jamal Pettigrew, center Will Clapp, offensive tackle Toby Weathersby, fullback John David Moore, defensive end Christian LaCouture, outside linebacker Arden Key, outside linebacker Sci Martin, outside linebacker Isaiah Washington, inside linebacker Donnie Alexander and safety John Battle. Clapp, Weathersby, Moore, LaCouture, Key, Alexander and Battle are projected starters. . .Derrius Guice was held to 12 yards on six attempts. . .Nick Brossette had a 17-yard run. The longest rush of the spring game was a 19-yarder by Fournette. . .There were seven carries by wide receivers – four by Chark, two by Russell Gage and one by Derrick Dillon. Those seven plays gained a net of only ten yards. . .Justin McMillan was sacked four times and attempted only three passes. . .Five players registered sacks – ends Frank Herron and Justin Thomas, nose tackle Edwin Alexander, outside linebacker Andre Anthony and inside linebacker Rucker. . .Kevin Toliver intercepted an Etling pass and broke up another pass attempt. . .Grant Delpit and Greedy Williams also had pass breakups. . .Delpit, an early-enrollee, made four tackles – one behind the line of scrimmage. . .Josh Growden averaged 36.8 yards on four punts. . .There were no punt returns and no kickoff returns and no rush on kicks. Coach Ed Orgeron said that he did not want to show LSU’s new schemes. . .Culp, Gamble and Jack Gonsoulin also had an opportunity at kickoffs. . .Chark, Dillon and Drake Davis caught kickoffs. Chark and Dillon caught punts. . .The two teams were a combined 2-of-11 on third-down situations. . .LSU went to the indoor facility and completed the spring game. According to Orgeron, the White team scored 23 points in the continuation.

FROM THE LOCKER ROOM

Coach Ed Orgeron’s comments: “It was a defensive night. We didn’t play very well on offense. Coach (Matt) Canada is very disappointed in the offense. (Defensive coordinator) Dave Aranda is an excellent play-caller. He had 15 days to know what hurts Matt’s offense. The defense was tired of getting its butts kicked all spring. The quarterback job is open because no one has earned a starting spot. Danny (Etling) didn’t play good. He had some good days in spring, but he did not have one tonight. None of the quarterbacks had a good night. We didn’t protect very well. Our offensive line got overpowered at times. We need to get better, a lot better. We are not ready to play a game right now.”

UP NEXT

LSU will open the 2017 season Sept. 2 against BYU in the Advocare Texas Kickoff game at NRG Stadium in Houston. The Cougars went 9-4 during the 2016 season. No kickoff time or television plan has been determined.